How to Use Local SEO Marketing to Promote Your Business
May 21, 2023
Local SEO marketing increases customer growth through strategic digital efforts, including content built around local keywords, review collection, business citations, and reputation management. The four core levers are keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and social media marketing.
How do you start keyword research for local SEO?
Keyword research is the starting point for local SEO. List all of your services, then search Google to see what results appear, which can spark new keyword ideas. A competitive analysis surfaces local keywords competitors target and gaps you could fill with paid search ads.
Focus on explicit local keywords (terms that include location-related words such as “plumber” or “boiler repair”) and service-based terms with intent (for example “what makes a good plumber” or “how much does boiler installation cost”). Use Semrush or another free or paid keyword research tool to analyze queries with local intent, then save the relevant terms to your keyword manager. Start with non-local keywords, then expand by identifying local terms used to describe your products or services.
What on-page optimization steps matter for local SEO?
On-page optimization helps search engines determine a page’s relevance to a geographic region. Optimize URLs, title tags, and meta descriptions with keywords tied to the business’s location and offerings.
Citations, which are online mentions of your company name, address, and phone number, play a large role in local search rankings. Keep your information accurate on major citation sites like Google My Business and Bing Maps, and actively solicit reviews from customers in your area, both good and bad. Responding appropriately to those reviews can increase local ranking visibility. Mobile responsiveness also affects local pack rankings, since more searchers use smartphones to find nearby products and services.
How does link building support local SEO?
Local SEO can increase organic local search results and draw in new customers, while also strengthening your link profile through locally relevant links that reinforce your business’s location.
For example, a business located in an arts district could create a blog section covering nearby events such as gallery crawls or garage sales, which can attract links from local influencers and businesses. Submitting to trusted directories and review sites such as Yelp, Thumbtack, and Foursquare helps citation volume and NAP consistency, both of which matter in organic local search rankings and snack pack listings. Guest posts or partnerships with local organizations like alumni associations or chambers of commerce can also expand online exposure.
What role does social media marketing play in local SEO?
Content creation is a core element of local SEO, covering blog posts, videos, podcasts, and other material relevant to your target audience. That content can generate inbound links that boost local rankings.
Acquiring new reviews on a regular basis is another central piece of local SEO, since reviews influence consumer decision making. Beyond rankings, local SEO can strengthen a business’s reputation by monitoring social media for mentions of the company, reaching out to local businesses to exchange links, or generating positive PR. These efforts can lead more people to discover the business website, visit it, or make phone calls, which benefits any business operating in a defined geographic region regardless of industry or service.
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